Hiking the Forces of the Northern Range Trail in Yellowstone National Park
Distance: 0.6 miles / 1.0 km
The Forces of the Northern Range Trail in Yellowstone National Park is a very short and easy interpretive loop trail on the Blacktail Plateau, where visitors can learn about the park and the greater Yellowstone–Teton ecosystem as the trail passes through a variety of landscapes as it circles a very short 0.4-mile (0.6 km) boardwalk loop!
By this, I mean that visitors have the opportunity to experience various landscape transitions over a very short distance, including Sagebrush, a beautiful Aspen forest, and Yellowstone’s most common tree species, the Lodgepole Pine.
What hopefully stands out from this is that the Forces of the Northern Range Trail is one of the best easy day hikes visitors can do to enjoy the fall colors in late September and early October, as this is when the Aspens across the park change from green to gold!
All that aside, I believe the Forces of the Northern Range Trail is worth checking out when you have plans to drive between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction, as this, along with the Wraith Falls Trail just a few miles to the west, are two very quick adventures visitors can enjoy before continuing elsewhere!
Forces of the Northern Range Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Forces of the Northern Range Trail is located in a small parking lot directly off Grand Loop Road, about 8.2 miles (13.2 km) east of Mammoth.
That said, parking can be a little busier at the Forces of the Northern Range Trailhead than at others along this quiet stretch of Grand Loop Road, mainly because the trailhead area is a favorite among wildlife guiding groups.
Google Maps Directions: Forces of the Northern Range Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Yellowstone–Tetons
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in the Yellowstone–Teton area.
Hiking the Forces of the Northern Range Trail
The Forces of the Northern Range Trail follows a very flat and easy boardwalk for the entire hike.
This, along with the very short roundtrip distance, is why I believe the Forces of the Northern Range Trail is one of the best kid-friendly hikes between Mammoth and Tower Junction, especially considering that many trailheads across northern Yellowstone serve very long and remote backcountry adventures.
Forces of the Northern Range Loop Trail
After just 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the boardwalk reaches the start of the 0.4-mile (0.6 km) loop.
In my opinion, I don’t believe it makes much of a difference in terms of enjoying the trail or reading the signs which direction you decide to hike.
Along the 0.4-mile (0.6 km) loop, there are five side trailheads that branch away from the main Forces of the Northern Range Trail, each contributing to the total 0.6-mile (1.0 km) roundtrip distance.
This is the first of the five side trails.
After the first side trail, the second one branches away just a few steps after returning to the main loop.
This is the second of the five side trails.
This is where the Forces of the Northern Range boardwalk continues after the second side trail.
This is the third of the five side trails.
All these Aspens lining the boardwalk are what make the Forces of the Northern Range Trail one of the best easy hikes for enjoying the fall colors in Yellowstone National Park!
This is the fourth and second to last side trail.
What Does "Forces of the Northern Range" Mean?
The word "forces" in the name of the trail quite literally describes the natural forces that shape the Yellowstone–Teton ecosystem, including climate, fire and succession, grazing, geology, and interactions among wildlife.
This is what the signs throughout the trail largely describe.
However, "Northern Range" refers to the larger mountainous region across northern Yellowstone, including the Gallatin Range, the Blacktail Plateau, Lamar Valley, and, of course, the stunning Beartooth Mountain Range!
The most important note about safety in regard to the Forces of the Northern Range Trail is to not get complacent about bear spray, just because the trail is short.
I say this because the trail’s short distance, or even its proximity to the road, doesn’t mean anything in terms of where bears might be.
In fact, I once came within 30 ft. (9.1 m) of a Grizzly on a different trail in Yellowstone, but even though I was so close, it was still very difficult to see the bear behind just a few trees!
The point is, it doesn’t take much to reduce your line of sight, meaning that a little pocket of trees like this is enough to conceal their whereabouts. Don’t get complacent!
This split is the fifth and final side trail on the Forces of the Northern Range Loop.
After the fifth side trail, there is only 0.1 miles (0.2 km) left until the Forces of the Northern Range Trail returns to the beginning of the loop.
Forces of the Northern Range Loop Junction
This junction is the original split for the loop from the very beginning of the hike.
That said, go left to return to the Force of the Northern Range Trailhead if you also chose to hike clockwise around the loop.
Old Faithful (Upper–Lower Geyser Basins)
Canyon Village
Maddison–Norris
Yellowstone Lake & East Entrance
Mammoth, Lamar Valley & Tower
